Article singulating system



A. G. FLINT ETAL ARTIGLE SINGULATING SYSTEM Oct. 17, 1967 22 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed May 24, 1965 A'I'I'ORNEY ()ct. 17, 1967 A. G. FLINT ETAL ARTICLE SINGULATING SYSTEM 22 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filec1 May 24, 1965 INVENTORS ALAN G. FLINT LASZLO su=os THOMAS GUTIERREZ BY /7 v ATTORNEY A. G. FLINT ETAL 3,347,348

ARTICLE SINGULATING SYS'IEM 22 SheetsSheet 5 mH mm N. wm m Oct. 17, 1967 Filed May 24, 1965 mvremons momxs GUTIERREZ BY ATTORNEY 1967 A. G. FLINT ETAL 3347348 ARTICLE SINGULA'IING SYSTEM INVENTORS ALAN G. FLINT LASZLO SIPOS THOMAS GUTIERREZ ATTORNEY Oct. 17, 1967 A. G. FLINT ETAL ARTICLE SINGULATING SYSTEM 22 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed May 24, 1965 ATTORNEY 1967 A. G. FLINT ETAL ARTICLE SINGULATING SYSTEM 22 Sheets-Sheet 6 Filed May 24, 1965 INVENTCRS ALAN G. FLINT LASZLO SIPOS THOMAS GUTIERREZ Oct. 17, 1967 A G. FLINT ETAL AR'I'ICLE SINGULATING SYSTEM 22 SheetsSheet Filed May 24, 1965 om mmw w ATTORNEY 1957 A. G. FLINT ETAL ARTICLE SINGULATING SYSTEM 22 Sheets-Sheet 8 Filed May 24, 1965 NVENTORS ALAN LASZLO SIPOS THOMAS GUTIERREZ ATTORNEY Oct. 17, 1967 A. 3. FLINT ETAL 3347348 ARTICLE SINGULATING SYSTEM Filed May 24, 1965 22 Sheets-Sheet 9 F'IG IIE F I I:::' l. 1 A

HELICL BUFFER INVENTORS m ALAN s. FLINT LASZLO swos THOMAS GUTIERREZ ATTORNEY Oct. 17, 1967 3. 1 1 3,347,348

ARTICLE SINGULATIIIG SYSTEM Filed May 24, 1965 22 SheetsSheet 10 BUFFER CONVEYOR FINAL SINGULATOR INVENIRS ALAN e. FLINT F'IIEI' IE ATTORNEY Oct. 17, 1967 A FLINT ETAL 3347348 ARTICLE SINGULATING SYSTEM Filed May 24, 1965 22 Sheets-Sheet 11 HLICAL BUFFER EDGER BELT INVENTORS ALAN G. FLINT LASZLO SIPOS THOMAS GUTIERREZ ATTORNEY Oct. 17, 1967 A. G. FLINT ETAL 3,347348 ARTICLE SINGULATING SYSTEM F'IE I I INVENTORS ALAN 6. FLINT LASZLO SIPOS THOMAS GUTIIERREZ ATTORNEN Oct. 17, 1967 A. G. FLINT ETAL AR'IICLE SINGULA'I'INC SYSTEM 22 Sheets-Sheet 13 Filed May 24, 1965 woN E 6 NR 9N mww ATTORNEY Oct. 17, 1967 A. G. FLINT ETAL ARTICLE SINGULATING SYSTEM 22 Sheets-Sheet 14 Filed May 24, 1965 A. cs FLINT ETAL. 3,347,348 ARTICLE SINGULATING SYSTEM 22 Sheets-Sheet 15 ATTORNEY Filed May 24, 1965 Oct. 1 7, 1967 A, 6. FLINT ETAL ARTICLE SINGULATING SYSTEM 22 Sheets-Sheet 16 Filed May 24, 1965 INVENTORS ALAN G. FLINT LASZLO SIPOS THOMAS GUTIEIR REZ BY 7 U W uw- IJ ..w n

ATTORNEY Oct. 17, 1967 A. G. FLINT ETAL AR'IICLE SINGULATIN G SYSTEM 22 Sheets-Sheet 17 Filed May 24, 1965 22 Sheets-Sheet 18 0mmam KO.POE IIJ.CZ. 304m mvamons FLINT su os moms suneanaz BY 4 A'ITORNEY A. G. FLINT ETAL ARTICLE SINGULATING SYSTEM Oct. 17, 1967 Filed May 24) 1965 Oct. 17, 1967 A. G. FLINT ETAL ARTICLE SINGULATING SYSTEM 22 Sheets-Sheet 19 Filed May 24, 1965 Oct. 17, 1967 A. G. FLINT ETAL AHTICLE SINGULATING SYSTEM 22 Sheets-Sheet 20 Filed May 24, 1965 J Non. 

1. A SYSTEM FOR SINGULATING A STREAM OF EDGE SUPPORTED FLAT ARTICLES SUCH AS LETTER MAIL, WHICH STREAMD IS CONTINUOUSLY INTRODUCED INTO THE SYSTEM AS RANDOMLY FORMED PATTERNS OF THE ARTICLES; SAID SYSTEM COMPRISING A HORIZONTAL PLANE TRANSPORT CONVEYOR FOR SUPPORTING THE RANDOM PATTERNS OF MAIL ON EDGE, A FLOW LIMITER CONVEYOR IN THE PATH OF SAID TRANSPORT CONVEYOR AND HAVING MEANS FOR CONVERTING THE RANDOM PATTERNS OF ARTICLES INTO A SUBSTANTIALLY CONTINUOUS, RELATIVELY NARROW STREAM OF ARTICLES, A PRESINGULATOR CONVEYOR HAVING MEANS FOR LONGITUDINALLY SPREADING OUT THE STREAM OF ARTICLES LEAVING SAID FLOW LIMITER CONVEYOR, A PRESINGULATOR FEED CONVEYOR BELT FOR TRANSPORTING THE STREAM OF ARTICLES FROM SAID FLOW LIMITER CONVEYOR TO SAID PRESINGULATOR CONVEYOR, A SHINGLE FORMER CONVEYOR, A FIRST ACCELERATOR CONVEYOR FOR LONGITUDINALLY SPREADING OUT THE STREAM OF ARTICLES RECEIVED FROM SAID PRESINGULATOR CONVEYOR AND DELIVERING THE ARTICLES TO SAID SHINGLE FORMER CONVEYOR, SAID SHINGLE FORMER CONVEYOR HAVING MEANS FOR SHIFTING THE TRAILING PORTIONS OF ARTICLES PASSING THRERTHROUGH LATERALLY AWAY FROM ADJACENT DOWNSTREAM ARTICLES, A BUFFER CONVEYOR, A BUFFER FEEDER CONVEYOR HAVING MEANS FOR PICKING UP ARTICLES LEAVING SAID SHINGLE FORMER CONVEYOR, ACCELERATING THE ARTICLES, AND DELIVERING THE ARTICLES TO SAID BUFFER CONVEYOR, SAID BUFFER CONVEYOR HAVING MEANS FOR PEELING OFF ARTICLES DELIVERED BY SAID BUFFER FEEDER CONVEYOR AND ADVANCING THE ARTICLES LATERALLY AS AN EDGED STACK OF ARTICLES, A FINAL SINGULATOR CONVEYOR, HAVING A STACK PEELING CONVEYOR FOR INDIVIDUALLY PICKING OFF ARTICLES AT THE LEADING END OF THE STACK OF EDGED ARTICLES DELIVERED BY SAID BUFFER CONVEYOR, A FINAL ACCELERATING CONVEYOR FOR PICKING UP ARTICLES FROM SAID FINAL SINGULATOR CONVEYOR AND ACCELERATING THE ARTICLES SO AS TO COMPLETELY SINGULATE THEM FOR PRESENTATION TO A TAKE AWAY CONVEYOR WITH GAPS BETWEEN ADJACENT ARTICLES, AND MEANS FOR DRIVING SAID CONVEYORS. 